Mechanistic insights into iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of dienes

Hydrogenation of 2,3-diphenylbutadiene (1) with the chiral carbene-oxazoline-iridium complex C has been studied by means of a combined experimental and computational approach. A detailed kinetic profile of the reaction was obtained with respect to consumption of the substrate and formation of the intermediate half-reduction products, 2,3-diphenylbut-1-ene (2) and the final product, 2,3-diphenylbutane (3). The data generated from these analyses, and from NMR experiments, revealed several facets of the reaction. After a brief induction period (presumably involving reduction of the cyclooctadiene ligand on C), the diene concentration declines in a zero-order process primarily to give monoene intermediates. When all the diene is consumed, the reaction accelerates and compound 3 begins to accumulate. Interestingly, the prevalent enantiomer of the monoene intermediate 2 is converted mostly to meso-3 so the enantioselectivity of the reaction appears to reverse. The reaction seems to be first-order with respect to the catalyst when the catalyst concentration is less than 0.0075 M; diffusion of hydrogen across the gas-liquid interface complicates the analysis at higher catalyst concentrations. Similarly, these diffusion effects complicated measurements of reaction rate versus applied pressure of dihydrogen; other factors like stir speed and flask geometry come into play under some, but not all, the conditions examined. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, using the PBE method, were used to probe the reaction. These studies indicate a transoid-eta(4)-diene-dihydride complex forms in the first stages of the catalytic cycle. Further reaction requires dissociation of one alkene ligand to give a eta(2)-diene-dihydride-dihydrogen intermediate. A catalytic cycle that features Ir(3+)/Ir(5+) seems to be involved thereafter.     

Catalytic Dibenzocyclooctene Synthesis via Cobalt(III)–Carbene Radical and ortho‐Quinodimethane Intermediates

The metalloradical activation of ortho‐benzallylaryl N‐tosyl hydrazones with [Co(TPP)] (TPP=tetraphenylporphyrin) as the catalyst enabled the controlled exploitation of the single‐electron reactivity of the redox non‐innocent carbene intermediate. This method offers a novel route to prepare eight‐membered rings, using base metal catalysis to construct a series of unique dibenzocyclooctenes through selective C_carbene?C_aryl cyclization. The desired eight‐membered‐ring products were obtained in good to excellent yields. A large variety of aromatic substituents are tolerated. The proposed reaction mechanism involves intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) to Co^III–carbene radical intermediates followed by dissociation of an ortho‐quinodimethane that undergoes 8π cyclization. The mechanism is supported by DFT calculations, and the presence of radical‐type intermediates was confirmed by trapping experiments.     

Imine‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes as Versatile Ligands in Ruthenium(II) p‐Cymene Anticancer Complexes: A Structure–Activity Relationship Study

A family of novel imine‐N‐heterocyclic carbene ruthenium(II) complexes of the general formula [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)Ru(C^N)Cl]PF₆⁻ (where C^N is an imine‐N‐heterocyclic carbene chelating ligand with varying substituents) have been prepared and characterized. In this imine‐N‐heterocyclic carbene chelating ligand framework, there are three potential sites that can be modified, which distinguishes this class of ligand and provides a body of flexibilities and opportunities to tune the cytotoxicity of these ruthenium(II) complexes. The influence of substituent effects of three tunable domains on the anticancer activity and catalytic ability in converting coenzyme NADH to NAD⁺ is investigated. This family of complexes displays an exceedingly distinct anticancer activity against A549 cancer cells, despite their close structural similarity. Complex 9 shows the highest anticancer activity in this series against A549 cancer cells (IC₅₀=14.36 μm ), with an approximately 1.5‐fold better activity than the clinical platinum drug cisplatin (IC₅₀=21.30 μm ) in A549 cancer cells. Mechanistic studies reveal that complex 9 mediates cell death mainly through cell stress, including cell cycle arrest, inducing apoptosis, increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Furthermore, lysosomal damage is also detected by confocal microscopy.     

过渡金属正离子和卡宾配合物成键特征的理论分析

在6—311C基组从头算的基础上对第一过渡系含偶数电子的金属正离子(Sc^+， V^+，Mn^+，Co^+，Cu^+)与卡宾CH2的配合物的成键特征进行了细致的分析。用能 级位移算符逐步降低分子片空轨道能级的方法代替分子片轨道冻结，使KSM能量分 解的耦合项得以消除。能量分析结果表明，Sc^+-CH2键是由σ供键，π供键与π反 馈键组成的，不能忽略π供键。而Cu^+-CH2键是由σ供键与σ，π反馈键组成的， 不能忽略σ反馈键。同时对VCH2^+，MnCH2^+和CoCH2^+的^1A1电子态也进行了粗略 的讨论。     

Comparison of the Kinetics of 1-Hexene Metathesis by Ruthenium Carbene Catalysts

Ruthenium carbene complexes, using as catalyst for olefin metathesis in both organic synthesis and polymer chemistry are obtained more attention recently1. The complex (PCy3)2(Cl)2Ru=CHPh 1 developed by Grubbs and co-workers2 is more stable to moisture, o…     

THEORETICAL STUDIES ON CARBENES AND CARBENOIDS (Ⅳ) ——ISOMERIZATIONS AND DECOMPOSITIONS OF CARBENOIDS H_2C=CLiCl AND H_2CLiCl

The isomerizations and decompositions of carbenoids H_2C=CLiCl and H_2CLiCl have been studied by use of HF/STO-3G gradient method. Three equilibrium structures of H_2C=CLiCl were obtained, in which the linear structure has the lowest energy and the askew substituted structure was the next. It is found that the decomposition of H_2C=CLiCl undergoes a concerted FBW rearrangement and the inversion barrier of its askew substituted structure is 36 kJ/mol. For H_2CLiCl, the askew substituted structure, extending all valences of the carbon into a single hemisphere, is the lowest energy and its inversion barrier is 87 kJ/mol. The discussions on the factors concerned with the structural stabilities are given in this paper.